Near Field Communication (NFC) allows a communications channel to be opened between two phones by touching them together or by touching the phone to a terminal (ie. a debit/credit card reader at a grocery checkout stand). GSM Association members have conducted trials throughout the world using NFC and are now starting to commercially launch the technology. It is expected that most new smartphones will soon be enabled with NFC capabilities. Similar to GPS chips and the enabling of location based services, it will take several years before applications and infrastructures are developed to take advantage of these new capabilities. In November 2010, AT&T®, Verizon® and T-Mobile® launched a joint venture (ISIS) to develop a single platform for mobile payments based on NFC.
Currently, almost all transactions over the Internet or from a mobile phone are processed through the VISA®/Mastercard® credit/debit card systems. Google®, Amazon® and Paypal® have launched their own competing mobile wallets which are tied to the end users' credit/debit card or bank account. Additionally, mobile operators have begun offering mobile payments that are billed through the carrier's monthly bill, but these are typically limited to application store transactions.
It is expected that marrying NFC technology with existing smart chips and mobile wallet applications will enable a ubiquitous mobile wallet experience funded by a multitude of credit cards, debit cards, loyalty accounts and virtual currencies. For example, a parent will be able to transfer $100 to their child's phone which the child can then use by simply touching the phone to a terminal at checkout or another NFC enabled phone.
However, in some situations, these technologies may allow undesirable access to a device or undesirable contact with a user such as a child. Conventional mobile wallet systems provide only limited control of this type of undesirable communication.
For example, benefit cards can be designed to deny non-medical transactions that would not qualify under IRS code section 125. In another example, some application stores can control the content presented to an end user through the use of age classifications such as Teen, Mature, PG13, etc. However, this approach can be impractical for many reasons. For example, it is common for teens to state that they are older than they are to gain access to adult features on social networks and devices can be passed down from parent to child. More generally, the age of the end user is personally identifiable protected information that is heavily regulated by most governments. Moreover, the use of age as the sole factor in controlling content can leave adult users exposed to undesirable content. For example, in a work environment, adult themed content could subject a company to sexual harassment liability if not monitored and restricted.
There is thus a need in the art for improved systems and methods for monitoring communications such as financial transactions.